Central Junior High School - Reflector Yearbook (Saginaw, MI)

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Ti-is ANNUAL RsrLEc'roR what it will be. It may not be what the dic- tionary says, often having attained wealth. position, or the like. You may have suc- cess without having attained any of these but you may say that that is not the gener- ally accepted understanding of success. I think that would be correct but 1 think it is unfortunate that success should be so generally interpreted that way. I do not know that this letter answers your purpose but it is written because I did not have clearly in mind just what you interpreted success to be. Briefly, therefore, faithfulness to the task at hand, conscientious feeling of responsibility, sacrifice of personal plea- sures and enjoyment for the purpose of doing the work well, is in my opinion the greatest fundamental in attaining the success such as I think you interpret it. Thank you very much for you sincere congratulation for the success I have had and for the opportunity I will undoubtedly have in the next congress. Sincerely yours, JAMES COUZENS, us. seminar from Mia-ivan and chairman of the Inter- state Commerce Committee of me seams. UNITED STATES SENATE Washington, D. C. March 12, 1929 My Dam' Young Friend: I am in receipt of your letter under date of March 5th, in which you say If you would write and tell me in few words what you attribute your splendid success to, or what main factors are necessary for suc- cess. Now leaving out the personal feature of the question, l do not object to making a suggestion to you. 'Ihere is nothing which interests me as much as the plans and pur- poses and possibilities of success for young people. In our later years we all look back and think of how many mistakes we made and how we might have done many things much better than we did. There are many things, of course, which enter into the question of succes in life. But there area few fundamental things which ought always to be kept in mind. First, it was Thomas Carlisle, I think, who said that, genius is an immense capacity for work. Never overlook that. Application, definite and well-defined aims, courage-these things will overcome all the ordinary obstacles of life and in the end insure success. There have been a few, and very few, scattered through the pages of history who have seemingly been able to accomplish a great deal without study and intense application. But they are the exception which prove the rule that we must work for what we attain in this world. The competition is too severe for the loiterer to succeed. The indifferent, or the neglectful, are soon crowded out of the line of march. Another thing, seek to be the master of your own place and the captain of your own soul. It was Emerson, I believe who said: Trust thyself. Every nerve vibrates to that iron string. I am perhaps not quoting him exactly as I am quoting wholly from memory. But if you are not farmiliar with the quotation, farmiliarize yourself with it. You will find it in his essay on Self Reliance? Again he says in this wonderful essay, which you ought to read once a week for the first twenty years of your life: It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions. It is easy in solitude to live after your own. But the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. Here againlmay not be verbally correct. There is a vast amount of joy and pleas- ure to be had out of life and these things you ought also to enjoy. But do not permit them to interfere with the main purpose and aspirations of life, that is, to succeed personally and to be of some service to your fellowmen. Very respectfully, WILLIAM E. BORAH, Chairman of the Committee on 1-mags Relations in the united States Senate. Continued on page 33 PAGE TWENTY-FIVE

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THE ANNUAL Rsrnacron Success as Experienced by Successful Mcu ' Some letters about that subject received by Jack Shaler from men promiorent both in and out of the Natiorfs capitol. THE VICE-PRESlDENT'S CHAMBER Washington, D. C. March 15, 1929 My Dear Mr. Shalcr: I have your letter and thank you for sending me a copy of your school paper. I am enclosing herewith a pamphlet which will perhaps give you the informa- tion you desire. Thanking you for your kind congratula- tions, I am, Very truly yours, CHARLES CURTIS Vice-President of the U. S. From the pamphlet inclosed in the Vice-president's letter I selected the follow- ing quotation: I would sooner take the word of Curtis then the sworn oath of a good many other men in the capitol, Senator Norris of Nebraska, recently remarked, I never knew Curtis to fail his word. U The word of Curtis is his bond, is the way they speak of him around the na- tion's Capitol. It is just the outstanding trait that has made Curtis a power in 'Washington Men knew, or soon discovered they could trust Curtis and his word. One tribute here may not be amiss. UNITED STATES SENATE Washington, D. C. March 12, 1929 Dem- Mr. Shalerz I have yours of the 6th enclosing a copy ofthe school paper of Central Junior High School of Saginaw. You say in an early issue there will be a discussion in your publication concerning success and its qualities. I understand that as Editor you are to contribute a manu- script on this important subject that has been the basis for much discussion in many school papers. You want to get the opin- ion of those who have attained success and for that reason you do me the honor of requesting me to write you for the purpose of saying to what I attribute such suc- cess as I have had. There are so many different kinds of success and undoubtedly they are attained in many different ways. For example, a mathematician may be a success and that success may be attained through great study and without having to have much,if any contact with the world. Another kind of success is the kind of success which you undoubtedly give me credit for and that is where you have to get out into the world and combat all sorts of obstacles and be ready to accept opportunities that may present themselves. Obviously there is no formula for obtaining these results. However, to be personal I will have to state that at eighteen years of age I was car checker for the Michigan Central Rail- road at S40 per month. It was mostly night work in all kinds of weather, a con- dition not conducive to desiring to stick to the job. Other boys came out, tried it and quit but I stuck to the job and while I claim no particular credit for it, as I needed to support myself, yet I attribute to the fact that I did stick to the job as the basic reason for what success 'I have had. In other words, it had always seemed to me that men in position to promote and advance others observe that sort of faith- fullness to duty and when opportunity comes to promote or advance workers in any way most superior officers will pick that sort of man. In any event that is how Igot my start, although I did not have in mind what the dictionary says, Attainment of a proposed object. The dictionary says that success is That which comes after. That which comes after really no one can say in advance what it will be. It may not be what the dictionary says, Attainment of a pro- posed object. The dictionary says that suc- cess is that which comes after. That which comes after really no one can say in advance PAGE TWENTY-I-'OUR

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T1-is ANNUAL REFLECTOR The Opal Braclet By Laura Zeman and Betty Boergert LISON DOANE and Patricia Marks were two pretty girls of Mayville, So. Carolina. It was in the spring of 1794. The two girls were great chums and were never seen apart. They were in the back yard of the Doane home. The well-kept trees were already budding. Swinging on an old branch of the pear tree the two girls were merrily singing an ancient ballad of Spring- time. This is the verse they sang: Springtime is here, so the robins sing. the trees are already budding, so that is why we know 'tis spring. Alison jumped down. Come, she said to Patricia, we will go into the house now and have some muffins and tea. Patricia jumped down also and the two went into the house together. Maria had been the faithful servant of the Doane mansion since Alison was three years old. The fam- ily had just come from England three years ago, but dear old Maria had always traveled and went where the family went. Patricia Marks had been living in America two years before the Doane family came over from England. Patricia had formerly also lived in England. She knew what a dear coun- try it was. Maria had tea already for the two girls that were so dear to her. The tea table was set very neatly. In the center of the table there was a pretty bouquet of marigolds and sweet Williams. The tea was hot and the muffins were very delicious, with butter and honey. All at once it began to rain, pitter-patter, pitter-patter. Oh dear! it would have to rain. And it was such a lovely, sunny day. Patricia sighed. All at once Alison jumped up, very excited. 0h! she exclaimed. 'I have a fine idea. Let's go upstairs in the attic. You can wear mother-'s ancient Spainish costume, and I will wear my grandmother's beautiful Puritan costume. Maria won't care. Patricia was all a glow. The girls Hew to the kitchen and told Maria that they were going upstairs to dress up in the attic. Of course dear old Maria said it was all right. The chums skipped gaily upstairs. Patricia put on the beautiful gold spangled Spanish cos- tume and danced a Spanish jig. Alison donned her grandmother's lovely, fine Puritan costume. She was very proud to wear it. It was of the very finest linen. Patricia decided to try to find a fan to go with her Spanish senorita costume. Patricia found a large black fan with gorgeous roses that were hand painted on it. As she picked up the fan something fell out. It made a tinkling sound. She found it behind a black, dusty trunk. To her sur- prise and amazement it was a beautiful opalbracelet. She gave a startled cry of amazement. Whom could it belong to? She picked it up and ran down stairs without showing it to Alison. Of course Alison followed. Patrica took the bracelet to Maria. She hoped that Maria might know something about it. Maria took the bracelet. Why, she exclaimed, this was your great grand- mother's wedding bracelet. She could hardly believe her eyes. Just then Mrs. Doane entered. She had been over to Mrs. Mark's house, sewing on a patch-work quilt. Come here, quick! called Maria. Mrs. Doane immediately recognized the bracelet. Why, she exclaimed, this is my grand- mother's missing braceletf' My grandfather gave this to my grand- mother as a token of his love for her. It is large enough for two bracelets, so two brace- lets shall be made out of it, one for Alison, and one for Patricia. The two girls jumped for joy. Oh, you're a dear, Mother, exclaimed Alison. and she kissed her mother with inexpressible delight. Patricia and Alison went over to Mrs. Mark's to tell the good news. The missing bracelet had been found. Since Patricia found it, it was only right that she should have the right of sharing it. l J i The Girli I should think you'd feel happy-as akmg when you're up in the air. Aviator: Happier. I'm an acef' PAGE TWENTY-SIX